TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Martin St. Louis didn't wait for his first
All-Star Game this weekend to put on an offensive show.
St. Louis had three goals for his first hat trick and John
Grahame made 24 saves for his fourth straight win as the Tampa Bay
Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 Thursday night.
"It's electrifying,'' St. Louis said. "There's no better way
of doing it on a team win. You get to enjoy it a lot more.''
St. Louis completed the hat trick with a rebound goal with 1:40
left. It was his 27th goal of the season.
"It's just as fun watching it,'' Lightning captain
Dave Andreychuk said. "It's awesome. Marty's been a big part of our
success.''
Tampa Bay is 4-1-1 in its last six games.
Jeff Heerema had the lone Carolina goal. The Hurricanes are
1-8-0-2 over the past 11 games and have dropped five straight on
the road.
"We need these points,'' Carolina defenseman Bret Hedican said.
"We know we're a desperate team right now. Right now we're having
a tough time and we've got to fight through it.''
Grahame has started consecutive games and three of the past
four. It's the first time since the 2002 Olympic break that
All-Star goalie Nikolai Khabibulin has not been the Tampa Bay
starter in two straight contests.
Grahame is 4-1 for the Lightning since being obtained from
Boston on Jan. 13. His other wins came against Ottawa, Dallas and
Philadelphia.
"His play speaks for itself,'' Andreychuk said.
Khabibulin is 0-4-2 over his past six starts.
St. Louis put the Lightning ahead 1-0 at 3:23 of the second
period. The backhand power-play goal came just after a one minute,
19 second five-on-three advantage where Tampa Bay had six shots.
Andreychuk assisted on the first St. Louis goal for his 1,267
point, which tied him for 26th place all-time with Jean Ratelle.
St. Louis made it 2-0 at with seven minutes left in the period.
"Where are we without him?'' Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella
said. "He just continues to tick, tick and tick.''
Heerema made the score 2-1 with less than five minutes remaining
in the period.
Grahame preserved the one-goal lead when he stopped Jan Hlavac
on a third-period breakaway.
"It seems like every night we get beat by good goaltending,''
Carolina's Jeff O'Neill said. "I don't know if it's actually is
good goaltending or we're just that bad offensively.''
Game notes
Khabibulin did not take part in the morning skate because
of a sinus problem. He served as Grahame's backup. ... Hurricanes G
Kevin Weekes has lost his last eight decisions. ... Hurricanes LW
Erik Cole left in the second period with a broken bone in his lower
left leg after being checked by Tampa Bay's Dan Boyle. He could be
out 2-3 months. ... Carolina D David Tanabe missed the game with a
shoulder injury. ... The Hurricanes recalled D Steve Halko from
Lowell of the AHL.